Posts Tagged ‘Syria’s Assad’

Newscast Media DAMASCUS—Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that what has been going on in Syria would not “weaken us”, stressing that the battle is a battle of will and steadfastness.

In a surprise visit to the Educational Centre for Fine Arts, Assad honored the families of students who were martyred during terrorist attacks.

“Today Syria as a whole is wounded. No one did not lose one of his relatives, a brother, father or a mother. However, all of this wouldn’t equal the loss of a son.

“Nevertheless, what happens to could not weaken us and the battle is a battle of will and steadfastness, and in as much as we remain strong, we could protect the others of the Homeland’s sons,” President al-Assad said.

Assad listened to the families’ requests and their suffering as they lost their sons, instructing the Education Ministry to meet the families’ demands.

Later, President Assad and wife received the families of teachers whom Syrians say were martyred while giving their sacred educational duty during lessons.

“Our message to Syria’s enemies will be through continuing the way of those teachers and martyrs and achieve their goal; a strong Syria in the face of ignorance.”

Newscast Media ROME—Pope Benedict XVI has made an urgent appeal to civil and political authorities to work for peace. The Pope’s heartfelt cry came on Monday during his annual address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See.

Speaking to representatives of the 179 States that currently have full diplomatic relations with the Vatican, as well as members of numerous international organizations such as the EU, the Order of Malta and the PLO, Pope Benedict emphasized that world leaders have a grave responsibility to work for peace. They are the first – he said – called to resolve the numerous conflicts causing bloodshed in our human family.

The Pope went on to list urgent areas of concern starting with Syria which he described as being “torn apart by endless slaughter and the scene of dreadful suffering among its civilian population”.

“I renew my appeal for a ceasefire” – the Pope said – “and for the inauguration as quickly as possible of a constructive dialogue aimed at putting an end to a conflict which will know no victors but only vanquished if it continues, leaving behind it nothing but a field of ruins”.

Staying with the peacemaking theme, the Holy Father had strong words of preoccupation for the Holy Land where – he said – Israelis and Palestinians must “commit themselves to peaceful coexistence within the framework of two sovereign states”.

Benedict went on to mention Iraq, Lebanon, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the DRC, Mali, the Central African Republic and Nigeria which – he observed – is regularly the scene of terrorist attacks which reap victims above all among the Christian faithful
gathered in prayer.

The Pope also condemned “religious fanaticism” which he said is a falsification of religion itself since religion aims at reconciling men and women with God.

Looking also at signs of promise around the globe, the Pope said that peace building always comes about by the protection of human beings and their fundamental rights. Foremost among these – he stressed – “is respect for human life at every stage”, and in this regard he expressed gratification for a Council of Europe resolution calling for the prohibition of euthanasia.

Newscast Media DAMASCUS—Worried about the current situation of the Syrian opposition, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned of efforts by extremists to “hijack” the so-called Syria revolution.

“There are disturbing reports of extremists going into Syria attempting to take over what has been a legitimate revolution against an oppressive regime for their own purposes,” Clinton said during a visit to Croatia on Wednesday.

The opposition should “strongly resist the efforts by the extremists to hijack the Syrian revolution”.

“We are working very hard with many different elements of opposition inside and outside Syria,” Clinton told reporters.

She said Washington’s efforts “are focused on pressuring the regime through increasing and tightening sanctions, meeting the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people who are displaced, assisting those countries that they seek refuge in, and helping the opposition unite behind a shared, effective strategy that can resist the regime’s violence and begin to provide for a political transition.”

The top US official added that the opposition umbrella group the Syrian National Council (SNC) “can no be longer be viewed as the visible leader of the opposition.”

“They can be part of the opposition, but the opposition must include people from inside Syria and others.”

She called for an opposition “leadership structure” to ensure that all Syrians are represented and protected, adding: “There has to be a representation of those who are on the front line fighting and dying today.”

“It is not a secret that many inside Syria are worried about what comes next. They have no love lost for the Assad regime, but they worry, rightly so, about the future,” Clinton said.

“And so there needs to be an opposition that can speak to every segment and every geographic part of Syria.”

Iran's foot soldiers alone number by the millions and have carried out numerous war games to prepare themeselves for any possible attack. Photo courtesy: Press TV

Newscast Media TEHRAN, Iran—Just when the Free Syrian Army thought the battle between them and Assad’s soldiers would subside due to the past Ramadan celebrations, the unrelenting Syrian government made an aggressive push to mop Aleppo up, and chased the Free Syrian Army into the wilderness in the outskirts of the city. Press TV with reporters on the ground, reported that Assad’s soldiers trashed the rebels’ command center in Aleppo’s Sayyed Ali district on Wednesday.

“The command center in Aleppo’s Sayyed Ali district was destroyed. Security forces killed a large number of insurgents in Aleppo neighborhood of Seif al-Dawla. Government forces also fought with insurgents in the capital Damascus, Idlib, and Hama, inflicting heavy losses on them,” Press TV reported.

Iran's foot soldiers alone number by the millions and have carried out numerous war games to prepare themeselves for any possible attack. Photo courtesy: Press TV

Meanwhile, Tehran has said in spite of different viewpoints within, in case of a foreign attack, the entire Iranian nation will be united against it. Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi dismissed Israeli officials’ threat of war as “worthless,” saying Tehran is capable of giving a crushing response to any aggression.

The Islamic Republic, is warning that in case Israel makes the mistake of launching such an attack, it will spell the end of the Israeli regime.

Newscast Media DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed on Wednesday to vanquish “foreign conspirators” plotting against his government, saying the crisis in the country is nearing its end.

Addressing tens of thousands of Syrians in the capital Damascus, Assad said that the support of Syrians for his government gives him power to fight hard against the external conspiracy trying to destabilize the country.

“I wanted to be with you so I can draw strength from you in the face of everything that Syria is subjected to. It was important that we maintain our faith in the future. I have that faith in the future and we will undoubtedly triumph over this conspiracy,” the Syrian president told his supporters, Reuters reported.

“You are standing against a desecration of our identity, and you are confirming your steadfastness and support for the armed forces, whose martyrs are falling every single day so you can live in safety,” he added.

Assad’s wife Asma and their two children joined him for his surprise appearance in the capital’s central Umayyad Square.

“I belong to this street,” Assad, 46, said, adding Syria faced foreign conspirators. We will make this phase the end for them and their plans. We are going to win without any doubt.”

His remarks followed a 100-minute speech on Tuesday in which he censured the Arab League, vowed to hit “terrorists” with an iron fist and promised reforms, but with no hint that he would relinquish the power he inherited from his father in 2000.

The Arab League, which suspended Syria in November for failing to halt its crackdown on protests, sent an observer mission in December that has not stopped the violence. It urged Syria this week to protect its observers.

In his speech on Tuesday, Assad had scorned the Arab League for trying to discipline Syria, saying it had “failed for six decades to take a position in the Arab interest” and that “the Arab League without Syria suspends its own Arab identity.”

The Syrian president, however, said that Damascus will not close the door on any Arab solution which respects its sovereignty.

“Our priority now is to regain the security in which we basked in for decades, and this can only be achieved by hitting the terrorists with an iron fist,” Assad said.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March. According to the UN, over 5,000 people have been killed in ten-month long unrest. While the West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing
protesters, Damascus blames ”outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.